Letters to the editor: Fireballs vocalist Tharp wilkl be missed

March 29, 2006

Today I say goodbye to a personal friend and somewhat of a musical legend: Chuck Tharp, of the original Fireballs.

Chuck was a damn fine person in so many ways. We who knew him were aware that he was often haunted by his memories from Vietnam, yet liberated by being able to use his moderate celebrity to help many good causes, not the least of which included the Make a Wish group for ill children.

His simple exterior masked a complex man with many experiences in life; a man who wished no harm to anyone. His skills were many, his vices few.

I was lucky enough to perform with him more than a few times in local bands. He always wanted to get it right for the audience and he usually got it right.

Chuck could take a simple topic, anything, and make up a song about it on the spot. Three chords, totally improvised, and he’d nail it. I’ve never known anyone else who could do that.

I knew him only fairly well but I think I speak for every musician in this area in saying that we will miss him very, very much.
Goodnight Chuck, and goodbye.

Kirby Rowan
Portales

Dumping unwanted pets in county cruel
Clovis residents who abandon dogs and cats outside the city need to understand that most are not adopted by kind country folk. Most of us have enough animals already. We also don’t know if an abandoned pet may bite or carry disease. They have been dependent on humans for food, water and shelter. It would be interesting to see how most people would fare without these necessities.

If pets are fortunate enough to not be struck by a vehicle and find a house where there might be food and water, they are in danger of being mauled by the existing dogs of that residence.

I believe the majority of the people who live in rural Clovis have a great sympathy for abandoned pets, and there are those of us who do rescue them, if possible, and find or provide homes for them. But I want to make everyone aware that if a pet has been dumped in the country, chances are it is suffering or has died due to starvation, dehydration, extreme cold, or injury.

I don’t appreciate watching abandoned pets decompose in ditches during my drive to and from Clovis every day because someone chose to be irresponsible.

Unwanted pets that go to the animal shelter are at least given food and water before their lives are ended.

Natalie Starbuck
Ranchvale

Democrats should look at own party
While New Mexico Democrats were supporting a call for the president’s impeachment based on “perceived abuses of power and corruption in the Bush administration” at their state convention, they should have looked closer to home.

Chairman John Wertheim should have asked Democratic state Sen. Cisco McSorley (District 16) about his recent appearance on KRQE News 13, investigative journalist Larry Barker’s program in which the senator criticized Gov. Bill Richardson for his abject cronyism.
Sen. McSorley opined that Gov. Richardson broke the law when he hired an extra 60 or so state employees without getting funding for these jobs from the state Legislature.

Democrats have controlled the state treasurer’s office and the attorney general’s office in New Mexico for more than 50 years. Two Democratic state treasurers, Robert E. Vigil and Michael A. Montoya, are under indictment for effectively using their office as a fund-raising arm of the state Democratic party.

Vigil was forced to resign this year rather than face his own impeachment proceedings. Vigil and Montoya were able to pursue their activities under the watchful eye of two state attorneys general, Tom Udall (1991-1998) and Patricia Madrid (1999-present).

The situation in the state treasurer’s office is arguably the worst political indignity ever to cast its pall over our state and the scandal continues to spread. The New Mexico House of Representatives did not view the charges against Vigil as “perceived” when they began the process of impeachment against him.

Chairman Wertheim could have checked with any of his fellow Democrats on these issues. They were all at the convention. Gov. Richardson may have been unavailable; he had to leave early to keep a campaign commitment in New Hampshire.